CONFESS! How many of you pay for downloads?

[gali]

Lol, BlueSoup, call the repairman urgently, to fix those holes in your hands - money is leaking badly....

You won me too!!!

[J. M. Pescado]

Let's try a better contest: Who's the biggest miser here?

[Jysudo]

Let's try a better contest: Who's the biggest miser here?

That's easy. Those who refuse to pay a single cent! 

[gali]

Lately I feel miser - I want to buy the CD of Bridge Baron 16, and have to pay 100$ (including shipping), and can't make up mind nearly a month. I am very much like Blue, wish  to have all the things I  want, and I even donate here and there.

...Getting old....

[ZephyrZodiac]

I thought it was Simlogical, not Simological?

Simlogical it is!  Google a misspelling and sometimes you find what you're looking for and sometimes you don't.  and as far as I know it's still there where it's been for a good long time!

[holly]

ok who ever provided the link to all the yummy hair , owes me however as much its going to cost to get it , i can say no to anything but temptation ,

 as for biggest spender well im not far behind bluesoup . i think  im another who really could use a support group

[Avie]

I only pay at Around The Sims 2. Most of the stuff there is free anyway with a small number of "donator gift" items which are always worth having.
I've been using Around The Sims since I first had Sims1 and really trust the site and content. The owner is mac-using like me and the files always work properly and are of good quality.
Kudos to Around the Sims 2.

[idtaminger]

Pardon, I missed that bit. I still think it's a bit odd to claim that meshing and skinning easy; it took me a number of hours to do a relatively simple recolour of some pants, and I'm pretty handy with Photoshop. Perhaps it depends on what one's standards of quality are.

Or perhaps it depends on skill...
A tip for recolours though - the selective colour/colour balance tools are best for doing simple recolours - don't bother w/ the paintbrushes. If neither of those get you the colour you want, then layer a colour on top and then use the alpha + quick mask to delete unnecessary parts. And if you're doing a specific part of the img, just quick mask via the little thingy in the left hand corner.

What the hell does her being Chinese have to do with anything?  Should she charge less or not at all because she's from a poor country?

College money or not, there's absolutely no reason for her to charge the amt. that she does for the stuff she makes, since she'd be making a ton of profit either way. That's what I was getting at, genius.

And pple making money from sim content is like Paris Hilton leeching off her daddy. Money for very little work. I actually happen to have a work ethic - hence my distaste for pple making money this way. Of course, not that you'd understand. Using 'Just shut up' as your own argument just shows the level of comprehension you're capable of. 

[RainbowTigress]

I agree that the hair at that site posted (Rose Sims) is very pretty, but I worry that it won't look good once it's in the game.  I've seen some beautiful hair on the web that looks very flat in the game.  Pronup sims has some beautiful hair which I use, but there were a couple of styles that I was disappointed in.  I was glad that I didn't pay for it, because I'd be really upset, just as I would if I were to pay $2.50 for one of these hairstyles only to find that it didn't look at all like I expected in the game.  Hair is one thing that is hard to do in the game, due to animations and the limitations that puts on making the hair look "natural."  I think Motoki said this better than me, but Maxis still has better tools for making hair that looks good in the game.  Some beautiful hairstyles I've just downloaded look great, but they just sit there like cardboard pasted to their heads, and I feel a bit let down.  Some people may think I'm an awful person, but I can't afford to pay anything for custom content.  That doesn't mean I can't look at it and say I wish it were available for free or that I wish I had the money to pay for it.  The analogies presented by others here don't hold up for me either, since I also do not have money to pay for books, movies, eating out, etc.  I may not even be able to buy OFB next month, but I'll live.  I haven't really gotten excited about it like I did NL.  I do put money in the offering plate at church because of my beliefs.  That money should come out first.  And whether you agree with that or not is your choice, I am not saying anything about anyone but myself.  Only that just because someone chooses to give money to their church does not automatically mean they should have money to pay for custom content for the Sims.  It doesn't compute.  Also, if I have debts such as credit card debt, I believe that my first obligation is to pay them off before I spend it elsewhere.  Especially with the high interest rates.  If I had no debts and I had money left over free and clear, then I might think about spending money for custom content, but I am nowhere near there.

Anyway, that's my 2.2 cents.

[Jysudo]

I agree that the hair at that site posted (Rose Sims) is very pretty, but I worry that it won't look good once it's in the game. 

As mentioned, their free hair does suck. So it depends on if you want to take the risk...

[nikita]

Pardon, I missed that bit. I still think it's a bit odd to claim that meshing and skinning easy; it took me a number of hours to do a relatively simple recolour of some pants, and I'm pretty handy with Photoshop. Perhaps it depends on what one's standards of quality are.

Or perhaps it depends on skill...
A tip for recolours though - the selective colour/colour balance tools are best for doing simple recolours - don't bother w/ the paintbrushes. If neither of those get you the colour you want, then layer a colour on top and then use the alpha + quick mask to delete unnecessary parts. And if you're doing a specific part of the img, just quick mask via the little thingy in the left hand corner.

What the hell does her being Chinese have to do with anything?  Should she charge less or not at all because she's from a poor country?

College money or not, there's absolutely no reason for her to charge the amt. that she does for the stuff she makes, since she'd be making a ton of profit either way. That's what I was getting at, genius.

And pple making money from sim content is like Paris Hilton leeching off her daddy. Money for very little work. I actually happen to have a work ethic - hence my distaste for pple making money this way. Of course, not that you'd understand. Using 'Just shut up' as your own argument just shows the level of comprehension you're capable of. 

So I suppose some guy who runs a hot dog stand on the street is like "Paris Hilton leeching off her daddy" because making hot dogs is very little work as well.  I could probably make a hot dog in a shorter amount of time than I could mesh hair for the game so why the hell are we paying for hot dogs??  Or anything that we either claim or think requires very little effort to make?  Oh, that's right, because no one is forcing us to. 

You sound like a pissy child stamping your feet because you can't get what you want.  This has nothing to do with work ethic and who are you to question anyone's work ethic when you know absolutely nothing about them?  You're right, I wouldn't understand.  Sorry, but I just can't wrap my mind around the idea of someone being so incredibly bitter over a game. 

And I stick by my "just shut up" argument.  This world and the Sims 2 community would be a much better place if people didn't take everything so goddamn seriously and just shut the hell up.  Did it ever occur to you in all of your anti-pay site fist pumping and "work ethic" pontifications that maybe some people charge for content because a)there will always be people out there willing to pay for it and b) they enjoy making objects, clothes, etc and would like to make money doing something that they enjoy? 

And I'm sure Paris Hilton has enough of her own money now that she doesn't have to use her father's (or "leech off of him" as you so not-bitterly put it).

[KellyQ]

It really kind of cracks me up that this has gotten so ugly over something so relatively trivial.

[Lackey]

Ok I did it I took the risk at rosesims2 and just got one of the pay hair. It is much better than the freebie male hair I downloaded and instantly deleted but it does need some work. I will email her back and point out what is wrong and see if she fixes it. Oh by the way most sites you get your download right away and her site she emails them to you but she was really quick on getting it to me. I downloaded number 29 on page 7. Can post an in game pick if someone can tell how.

[Ephraim]

Sorry, but I just can't wrap my mind around the idea of someone being so incredibly bitter over a game.

Pot calling the kettle black?   

I don't pay for custom content (except for MATY!) and I don't think any less or more of people who do.  Hell, if I could afford it, I would go subscribe to some sites.

[J. M. Pescado]

This is starting to turn into Retardo Land material, you know.

[holly]

yeah i got 2 rosesims hairs and ive got to admit there great, and she sent a free gift,

and i wouldent say this has got ugly at all "lively debate" is a better term , people are entilted to there own opinon and i respect that , but youve got to admit "shut up" and "because i think its greedy" arnt great points

[nectere]

Hair is one of those things, I simply wont consider shelling out money for unless the creator can assure me that its animated, and it better come with rave reviews as well. I have seen far too many hairs that were obviously doctored in the pics or the screenie was taken at just the right angle so that you cant see the flaws, and then you get it in game and there are transparencies issues, gaps, its not animated, and or it just looks really crappy overall.

I can fix object meshes, and I can tweak some hair. But I havent seen that many objects that are pay, that need to be fixed, actually I havent seen all that many objects in general that have glaring issues, free or otherwise. Of course its usually pretty obvious if they are messed up and I just dont bother with them. Hair on the other hand, is very much a mixed bag. I havent gotten to the level of fixing the animation on hair yet, and why should I fix someone elses work especially if I had to pay for it? I just wont do it. I would rather learn to make my own hair than pay to fix someone elses. I dont mine snagging some hair if its part of a sub that I already have and checking it out, but I will never pay for hair by itself unless I am assured that its flawless, there are very few out there that meet this criteria, and oddly enough, they have all been free.

[ZephyrZodiac]

I'd agree with that.  I did take out a sub with Sims Connection, mainly for the hair, but also, of course, objects and clothing, and so far I've been reasonably satisfied with the ones I've actually installed, but hair from some pay sites is really poor quality.  On the other hand, I cannot fault any of Hairfish's creations over at Mermaid Cove!  And they're free!

I think with any paysite, you have to take your chance, just as you do with free sites, but if the stuff is poor, then you aren't likely to make a return visit!

[skandelouslala]

Hair is one of those things, I simply wont consider shelling out money for unless the creator can assure me that its animated, and it better come with rave reviews as well. I have seen far too many hairs that were obviously doctored in the pics or the screenie was taken at just the right angle so that you cant see the flaws, and then you get it in game and there are transparencies issues, gaps, its not animated, and or it just looks really crappy overall.

I have encountered this so much.  Now I won't even bother downloading hair unless I have downloaded it from the creator before and been impressed with it.

A few weeks ago I downloaded a new hair mesh and recolors that looked stunning in the preview pictures.  Got into my game and it is the most horrid job I have ever seen in my life.  I need to take a screenshot..it's scary.  There are huge gaps and white spaces everywhere.

[Emma]

This is starting to turn into Retardo Land material, you know.

If I were you I'd put it in there anyway. Just because I could


*moons everyone*

[angelyne]

I will never pay for hair by itself unless I am assured that its flawless, there are very few out there that meet this criteria, and oddly enough, they have all been free.

I agree.  Hair and houses are the two thing that seem to be more unsatisfactory than most.  I end up deleting most of the hair I download, so I am not about to pay for hair, unless I can actually preview in the game. 

Houses have a different problem.   I have downloaded tons of houses but they never seem to satisfy me.  They often look great, but aren't workable.  Most of them I find, have rooms that are too small.  I downloaded a nice looking house once, spent about one hour changing the house with custom content, only to find that the bedrooms were so small, that it wouldn't even fit a double bed.  When i build a house, I add furniture to it, as I am building it, to judge the scale.  All bedrooms must fit at least a double bed and a dresser.  There must be enough room in the dinning room for a table, chairs and room to circulate.  In the living room, I must be able to put a sofa and 2 side tables, so that it's centered in the room.  Corridors must be at least 2 square wide.  All this requires adjustement as you are building it.  This often means that if you are following a floor plan, the result ends up bigger that it would be in reality. But that's a small compromise.  A lot of people simply follow their floor plan exactly, or use some kind of scale (one sims square equals xxx foot).  Those houses never work for me.

[ZephyrZodiac]

A lot of house builders seem to be more concerned with how the house looks from the outside than they are with how it works inside!  Great if all you want are some empty houses to fill up your neighbourhood view but useless for moving families you intend to play into!

And to go off at a tangent, why don't Fortune sims ever have the want to Move to a Bigger House?

[holly]

you are so right about houses , when i first started playing i downloaded houses but now i build my own , because it seems that the people who make at lot of houses have never tried playing a full sim family in them , and i build all my houses with the view for expansion , as as the family gets bigger u need a bigger house and i hate moving my sims

[sabra]

Did it ever occur to you in all of your anti-pay site fist pumping and "work ethic" pontifications that maybe some people charge for content because a)there will always be people out there willing to pay for it and b) they enjoy making objects, clothes, etc and would like to make money doing something that they enjoy?

I think that's it in a nutshell.  If people are willing to pay for things, other people will sell them things. If one doesn't like paysites, all one has to do is not subscribe/donate/pay.  If enough people act that way, paysites will no longer exist.  I could never get my head around these protracted arguments.  It's a very simple matter of demand channeling supply (and vice versa).

Flowerchile, I haven't read every entry in this thread, but I think it was very good of you to apologize, and I'm not sure anyone else remarked on it.

 

[Assmitten]

Hair is one of those things, I simply wont consider shelling out money for unless the creator can assure me that its animated, and it better come with rave reviews as well. I have seen far too many hairs that were obviously doctored in the pics or the screenie was taken at just the right angle so that you cant see the flaws, and then you get it in game and there are transparencies issues, gaps, its not animated, and or it just looks really crappy overall.

I have encountered this so much.  Now I won't even bother downloading hair unless I have downloaded it from the creator before and been impressed with it.

A few weeks ago I downloaded a new hair mesh and recolors that looked stunning in the preview pictures.  Got into my game and it is the most horrid job I have ever seen in my life.  I need to take a screenshot..it's scary.  There are huge gaps and white spaces everywhere.

Yes, I'm sure this would be WAAAY to much trouble for the creators, but wouldn't it be great if there were brief videos modeling the hair? A little runway walk to make sure it swings and that body parts/gaps aren't there. Maybe for Sims 3....